Winter Tales
by LuckyBachi
Summary: Christmas Fics from Nalu, Gruvia, Jerza to Elfever
1. The Tree (Nalu)

"Natsu, really? How old is this?!" As she said it, the pink haired mage settled himself down beside her in a messy manner.

"Eh? It's just a toy."

"It's mouldy!" Lucy added, tossing the little bear into the bin bag she had brought along with her. They were decorating his house, not keeping in the filth that he so badly seemed to keep around.

"Hey! I've had that for years."

"You're not keeping a mouldy bear, you said I could help you clear out your christmas things."

"Yeah, like tidy. I don't want you to throw it all away."

"You've got tinsel in here, why didn't you put it on the tree? Weren't you just putting it up?"

"Yeah! We don't usually put up tinsel."

"Then why do you have it?"

He shrugged at her question, a lazy smile settling on his face.

"You wanna see the tree now?"

She sighed, glancing at the cardboard box that Natsu had pulled out from his wardrobe. Not only was his house messier than the last time she saw it, she also was disappointed that his collection of christmas things only consisted of a mouldy bear, three packets of ribbon, tinsel, wrapping paper that looked like it had faded considerably and one broken bauble. Her home however had been decorated from head to toe with glitter, stars and christmas lights. She just wanted Natsu to have a bit of a winter holiday cheer too. Well… At least he had a tree.

"Ah.. Can't be any more pa-" She glanced up at the boy who still seemed very excited and decided on letting the rest of that sentence hang. "Okay, let's see this tree."

She took a deep breath, putting the ribbon back in the box and pulled herself up onto her feet, ready to see the christmas tree she had been curious about for weeks.

Lucy let Natsu lead the way, far enough through the house that they ere to the sofa, just like he had said; a tree sitting right in the middle of his house. Not exactly a christmas tree, but it was a tree… it wonky and missing a few branches. Off it hung tin cans and the only thing that didn't shock her was the rainbow coloured fairy lights hanging of it. It wasn't… ugly… but… it really did look absolutely pathetic.

"Are you serious, Natsu?" She couldn't even hold back a laugh of pain, "This is what you do every year?!"

The boy had his arms folded, clearly offended by her reaction.

"What's wrong with it?"

"It doesn't even have baubles!" She prodded a tin can with her left hand, it chiming at the hit of her nails.

"Why would we go buy baubles when we already have these. Look how shiny they are!" He smiled gently again.

"This tree isn't even the right tree." She shook her head, resting her palm against her cheek in complete awe. "Is that one of my earrings?!" She yanked at a gold ring hanging on the tree, taking it back rightfully. "Natsu, this is the worst christmas tree ever… I have a spare one at home; you can have it. And I've probably got some decorations and you have tinsel in that box…"

He cut her off at that, plonking himself down on the sofa.

"You don't have to do that, I like this tree!"

"It's not even a christmas tree!"

"So?"

"Sooooo… you need a real tree!"

"What difference will it make?"

"I don't know!" The boy was beginning to frustrate her, how could he not have an actual decoration up for christmas? She just really wanted to give the place a little decorat-

She tilted her head gently, her eyes resting on something at his doorway. If she wasn't mistaken… that looked like something familiar…

"Hey… Natsu?"

He glanced back up at her, clearly not in the mood for her to bang on about his tree some more, so his expression was not amused.

"Yeah?"

"Is that mistletoe?"

"Eh?"

"In the doorway." She raised her arm to point, watching his expression calm and turn a little pink. "Were you planning something for when I leave…?"

His face turned a little darker as he sunk further into the chair, that lopsided smile returning a little.

"So… Lucy, where's this tree again?"


	2. The Blush (Gruvia)

"Juvia wants to play a game."

"Not today. Do we really have to?"

"Please, Gray-Sama. Juvia likes to ask questions. Like a game!"

"Last time you said that, you ended up asking a bunch of dumb ones."

Juvia sniffled slightly, pouting as she put her head down.

"Juvia asking if she could go on a date was a serious question…" She wiped her eye gently, as if to prove to the ice mage that it really did upset her.

"Agh. Fine, we'll play your game. But it finishes as soon as we get to your room."

"Ah!" The blue girl grinned, clapping her cold palms together. "Yay! Gray-Sama!"

"Yeah, yeah…" He grumbled, raking his hand through his hair. It wasn't unusual, this while thing. It was very often that Gray chose to walk Juvia home from the guild these days, especially on the winter nights. At first they were simply because Juvia would practically beg him until he finally had said yes, but now he wouldn't even dream of letting her walk back in the dark by herself. Not that he would admit that to anyone, but he liked to keep his eye on her, she was just a young lady like Lucy and Erza after all, they all deserved a bit of gentleman's respect. He smuggled a laugh gently at his own stupid thought, he couldn't help but be reminded of some soppy excuse Loke would have used back in his Guild days. Nevertheless, he was with the blue haired female whether he wanted to take back or not. And so he would let her play her game if that was what made her happy.

"Oh, Juvia has a question- That's how we'll play, Juvia asks a question then Gray-Sama asks one-"

"I have to ask them too?"

"It makes it more fun-"

"I can't eve-"

"Please, Gray-Sama? Juvia likes to hear your voice."

He rolled his eyes, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Fine."

She clapped again, a petite smile lighting up her features, as she looked down at the icy cold snow on the pavement.

"Okay. What is Gray-Sama's favourite colour?"

"Hmm…" He tilted his head a little bit, as if to ponder in thought. He already knew his answer, he wasn't even sure why he was pausing. "Blue."

He heard Juvia gasp, her cheeks turning red from his answer, and without even realising her reason for it, he raised a brow.

"O-oh! N-now it's Gray-Sama's turn."

"Ask anything?"

She nodded, "Anything at all."

"Hmm… Okay, what's your favourite thing to eat?"

Juvia smiled, "Remember how Gray-Sama brought home that whole box of rice cakes?"

He frowned slightly, that had been ages ago. And by ages, he literally meant months. She remembered that far back?

"What about them?"

"The red-bean ones. Juvia loves to eat those."

He laughed gently, glancing her way as she now rubbed her hands against the fabric of her coat in an attempt to warm herself up. But she seemed unbothered nevertheless, and continued their game of questions.

"What is Gray-Sama's favourite thing about Christmas?"

"Oh." He'd never actually thought about it before, and she asked so innocently too. He would like to say it was the guild but they usually ended up as a drunken mess before New Year's even came around. He didn't really get gifts except from Juvia the past few years, and Lucy always got everyone a little something, and occasionally a forceful one was handed out by Erza so he couldn't say that was a highlight either.

"The snow." His eyes finally settled, dropping to the ground as he subconsciously watched Juvia's boots crunch down the white texture beneath her.

She smiled again, it seemed he was giving all the right answers tonight, and something about that made him feel lighter inside. Not like Juvia was hard to please when it came to him, but the fact that it was general appreciation rather than her usual adoration, he felt it calming.

"Okay… what's your favourite thing about this holiday?"

"Gray-Sama wants to ask the same thing?"

"Is it not allowed?"

She giggled, rubbing her arms again and Gray couldn't even try to ignore it now.

With a sigh, he yanked off his jacket and draped it over the girl's shoulders, her face turning a warmer red than it had before, it now flushed with admiration rather than lack of heat.

"H-huh?"

"You look cold."

"B-but what about Gray-Sama?"

"I don't get too cold."

"Gray-Sama is sure?"

"Yep." He smiled, "besides, even your nose is as red as a cherry."

"You!"

"Eh?" The boy frowned, a little confused by her outburst. "Me what?"

"Gray-Sama is Juvia's favourite thing about this holiday."

He fell quiet, as fast wave of bashfulness overcoming him. Perhaps because he was expecting a compliment delivered in another way, like her simply being thankful for the jacket.

"Ah! Now Gray-Sama!"

"What?"

"Your nose now! YOUR nose is as red as Rudolph's!"


	3. Santa (Nalu)

Lucy ripped off another piece of cello-tape, pressing it down onto the folded piece of silver paper. Sixteen gifts down. Though one of them she had to keep hidden while Natsu was sitting in the room; she didn't really want to ruin the surprise after all. Not that it was too exciting; in fact she wasn't even sure if he would like it, it had just caught her eye and she had picked it- it was a candle in the shape of a dragon; but he could easily light it so she couldn't not buy it. Plus she did love candles herself, so hopefully he liked them somewhat too, but she couldn't wrap it with him right beside her.

"Did you get everyone in the Guild a present?" Natsu asked, pressing tape down onto a gift he had wrapped about four times; each time his wrapping ability growing neater and neater- though that being said it still looked a bit of a mess but at least he was trying.

"Yeah, of course! It's christmas after all!" She gave a big smile, petting the blue exceed that sat curled up beside Natsu's knee, her eyes flicking up at the clock that read 1.30am; they'd already wrapped for two hours straight.

"Don't think you've gotten too many?"

"Hm, not really! I tried to get things for everyone that reminded me of them. Like look I got this cute kitty skirt for Wendy! And I found some strawberry cupcakes for Erza.." She poked at some of the gifts that were unwrapped.

"What did you get Gray?"

"Oh I got a little snow globe-" She fumbled around slightly to find it, but Natsu had already laughed before seeing it. "Don't laugh! Did you even get anyone anything?"

"Eh, just for Happy. Oh and you."

Her smile returned, it warming up her face. Okay, so she had gotten Natsu his gift but she hadn't expected one back.

"Oh!"

"Yeah, there's no point in getting tonnes like you do, Santa brings stuff anyway right?"

She blinked, looking at the boy as if she hadn't heard him right.

"What was that?"

"What? It's right."

"You still believe in Santa?" She finished up her wrapping of the gift she had in her hands, pressing back the attempt to laugh at his cute reveal.

"What do you mean, still?"

"Well Santa's not real-"

"That's something someone without magic would say."

"Hey!" She pouted gently, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means if I can be raised by a dragon, and you can summon spirits from thin air, then Santa does exist."

"You need to see it to believe it." She nodded, picking up another present so that she could wrap it.

Natsu raised his brows slightly, "What's this? Lucy is not being optimistic?" He held a hand to his ear, his eyes widening in disbelief; a playful look on his expression.

"Hey-" She whacked him slightly with the tube of wrapping paper. "Fine, okay, so he's not impossible. But he never brings me anything."

He grinned, fastening the last piece of tape.

"Huhu. Sucks to be you."


	4. Freezer Room (Nalu)

"Lucy. Luce. Luuuucy." There was a gentle shake on her shoulder, the voice a mixture of concern and odd playfulness, like he was trying not to worry her if she could hear him well.

Luckily she could and Lucy felt her eyes flutter open in a groggy manner, her head hurt- a dull throb that told her something most likely had knocked her out and that's what she was waking up from.

"What happened?"

"That's what we'd like to know."

"Huh?"

"You were lying on the ground."

"But uh…" She frowned slightly, glancing around as now she suddenly began to realise where and what she was doing. Of course! She was in the basement at the guild. Freezer room to be exact; the place was made of steel from head to toe and was magic enforced so that not even an explosion could destroy the room from inside or outside. Mirajane's quirky idea of course, they had an enchantress come in and everything; guess they got fed up of buying new stock every time Fairy Tail got trashed by every newcomer self proclaimed bad guy.

She sighed sitting up, she'd come down her to grab ice for Lisanna- not so much from request, more like she had offered to get it just as a favour. But she'd slipped on something, ice she guessed since it was rather cold in here.

"Oh… I came down here to grab something but I must have fallen over."

"Okay.. Are you alright?"

"Yes… yes I'm fine."

"Good job we followed you!" He laughed, however the little blue cat was no where in sight… she wasn't sure who his company was so she assumed it was just a slip of the tongue.

She flicked him a curious look, wondering how often he decided to 'just follow her', but in all honesty she was lucky. If down here long enough, she was afraid she would turn into an icicle pop.

He outstretched his hand to her and she took it gently, letting him pull her back up to her feet.

"Thanks." She smiled, glancing up at the shelf she had been standing in front of. The place was lined with shelves and the ice she wanted just happen be on the top one. They were that tall to be honest but, she wasn't that tall either. With a flat look, she glanced to Natsu, her eyes begging a little.

"Natsu… would you do me a really big favour?"

The pink boy scrunched up his nose, crossing his arms.

"Depends. What is it?"

"I really need to grab some ice but… I can't reach it." She pouted a little, glancing up.

"Oh. Because you're short."

"Yes becaus- hey!"

"What? It's why you can't reach it, yeah?"

"W-well yeah but…" She huffed gently, "Can you just grab it for me? It'll just take a second." Her puppy eyes faded and she immediately gave up on avoiding him saying one of his stupid remarks because it was too late now, it had already been said.

"You know I work in a guild… usually when people ask for a job, they gotta pay me. Y'know?"

Lucy gritted her teeth slightly, immediate irritation at the boy, she couldn't help but feel amused.

"Dammit, Natsu, it's just ice."

"And I'm a workin' wizard."

She pushed her palm against her face, sighing slightly as a gentle laugh escape her lips.

"Fine. I'll buy you lunch. Sound good?"

"Sweet! Okay!" He chirped, a grin spreading across his tan face.

Though at that, the sound of a door slamming closed made the two of them jump in surprise and they turned their heads to look at the big metal door that was no longer wide open.

"How did that happen?" Natsu asked quietly, a confused expression settling upon his features.

Lucy simply tilted her head, stepping forward to go give the door a push.

It didn't budge though.

Not one bit.

She banged on it slightly, hoping perhaps the sound would resonate, but all that did was make her fist hurt.

"Hey… Natsu I think this locks from the outside?"

"Well yeah, no ones gonna stay in the freezer room." He replied, moving up behind her.

"Right… freezer room…" She glanced back at him, her eyes looking into his green ones that just watched her waiting for a reply. He seemed completely calm on the matter but she was beginning to realise something.

"Freezer room where… it can't be destroyed with heat… we're locked inside… and it's underground…"

"Yep."

"…and is barely visited."

"That's right!"

"What if nobody ever finds us here?"

"…Oh shit."


End file.
